The Day Half of India Went Dark: July 30, 2012 BlackoutThe Day Half of India Went Dark: July 30, 2012 BlackoutIn a cascading failure of the northern electrical grid, millions plunged into darknessIn a cascading failure of the northern electrical grid, millions plunged into darknessThe blackout affected over 620 million people across 22 states—nearly half India’s population and about 9% of the world at that timeThe blackout affected over 620 million people across 22 states—nearly half India’s population and about 9% of the world at that timeAt 02:35 a.m. IST, the 400 kV Bina–Gwalior line tripped under overload, triggering widespread collapseMajor power stations shut down, causing an estimated 32 gigawatts of capacity lossTrains stalled for hours, traffic lights failed, water systems shut down—Delhi metro and hospitals relied on backup generators By 08:00–09:00 a.m., essential services resumed and 80% power was restored in many areas within 15 hoursOn July 31, the eastern and north-eastern grids also failed, amplifying the crisis across IndiaWeak inter-regional transmission plus high line loading and poor utility response were central to the blackout’s scaleIndia has since built the world’s largest unified grid with advanced monitoring systems—making such super‑blackouts virtually obsolete